Kiddushin, Daf Mem Aleph, Part 3

 

Introduction

The Talmud now begins to examine other cases in which the Mishnah refers to appointing an agent. How do we know that agency works in these cases as well? The first case cited is from Mishnah Terumot 4:4.

 

ואלא הא דתנן האומר לשלוחו צא תרום תורם כדעת בעל הבית ואם אינו יודע דעת בעל הבית תורם בבינונית אחד מחמשים פיחת עשרה או הוסיף עשרה תרומתו תרומה מנלן

 

Now, as to what we learned: One who says to his agent: Go and give terumah [for me], he should give terumah in accordance with the mind of the owner.

If he does not know the mind of the owner, he gives according to the average amount one fiftieth.

If he gave ten parts less or more, the terumah is terumah.

If, however, his intention was to add even one part more, his terumah is not terumah.

How do we know this?

 

The mishnah allows one to appoint an agent to give terumah on his behalf. How do we know that such an act is valid and that such produce is actually considered terumah?

 

וכי תימא דיליף מגירושין מה לגירושין שכן ישנן חול

 

And should you answer that it is derived from divorce, [I would respond:] as for divorce, that [may be] because it is a secular matter!

 

We cannot derive agency for terumah from agency from divorce because terumah is considered holy, whereas divorce is not an issue of holiness. Since these are different fields, we cannot derive one from the other.

 

אמר קרא אתם (במדבר יח, ג) גם אתם לרבות את השליח

 

The verse says, You Also you [shall set apart a gift unto the Lord of all your tithes] (Numbers 18:3). This comes to include the agent.

 

The word also is read as including an agent in separating tithes and terumah.

 

ונכתוב רחמנא בתרומה וניתו הנך ונגמרו מיניה

משום דאיכא למפרך שכן ישנה במחשבה

 

But let Scripture write [it] in respect to terumah, and these [marriage and divorce] would come and be derived from it?

Because one can refute [the analogy], since it is possible [to separate terumah] by [mere] thought.

 

Why can t we derive agency in divorce and marriage from agency with regard to terumah? Because terumah can be given without an act, just by thinking this produce will be terumah. Marriage and divorce require acts, and therefore even if we knew that agency was valid with regard to terumah, we would not know it is valid with regard to marriage and divorce.